President's Rule likely in Jharkhand

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Last Updated: Sun, Jan 13, 2013 14:03 hrs

Ranchi: Jharkhand governor Syed Ahmed is likely to recommend President's Rule in the state, NDTV, citing sources, said on Sunday.

Shibu Soren's Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and the state Congress met the governor separately on Saturday, but the governor may be looking at the option of President's Rule with neither of the parties having enough numbers in the state Assembly.

On Saturday, JMM sought more time to form the government.

JMM leader Hemant Soren told media: "There are still chances to form a government."

"We have requested the Governor for more time in order to prove our majority," he said.

Soren told Ahmed that the JMM was holding talks with other parties as it is not in favour of President's rule in the state.

Soren returned to Ranchi on Friday after meeting Congress leaders in New Delhi.

Rajendra Singh, leader of Congress Legislature Party, told NDTV: "We are against President's Rule. We feel the Assembly should not be dissolved. The JMM has staked claim and should be given a chance to form the next government. The decision to back them will be taken by the Congress leadership in Delhi."

Political crisis in Jharkhand deepened as Chief Minister Arjun Munda on Tuesday submitted his resignation to the Governor after JMM formally withdrew support from the government.

The JMM on Monday withdrew its support from the government over differences in connection to the rotation policy of the chief ministerial post.

Soren on Tuesday met the Governor to formally withdraw support and said they will try to form a new government in the state.

The JMM's decision to withdraw support had reduced Munda-led BJP government to a minority one.

The relationship between the BJP and the JMM had been deteriorating after Munda in his written reply to the JMM on Jan 3, negated any rotation policy deal between the two parties to share power after 28 months in office.

Soren had earlier warned the BJP that the party would quit the coalition government if the chief minister's post was not handed over to the JMM as a part of the agreement, reports said.

The JMM and the BJP have 18 MLAs each in the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly.

BJP targets JMM, wants election in Jharkhand

Amid the ongoing political crisis in Jharkhand and efforts from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) to form a new coalition government with the Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday said that election is the only way to solve the problem in Jharkhand.

"No other option is left in Jharkhand, election is the only way out. The JMM is desperate for power, but we will not compromise with our ideology and commitments. We were not ready to compromise with the manner in which they wanted to run the government," said Hussain.

"Now, there is no other option left except election, and we are trying to convince the Governor for this," he added.

The JMM, which pulled out of Arjun Munda-led coalition government in Jharkhand last week, has so far expressed its willingness to form a new government in the state with the help of Congress.

According to certain media reports, Jharkhand Governor Syed Ahmad is likely to recommend a President's rule in the state with neither the Congress nor the JMM having the numbers to form the next government on their own.

The JMM has 18 members in the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly and the Congress 13.